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Spy synonyms

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observer
An official, usually a member of a group, sent by a UN committee to collect and report facts on the situation in a special area
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  1. An official, usually a member of a group, sent by a UN committee to collect and report facts on the situation in a special area
  2. One who is sent to observe and report on events or proceedings without directly participating in them.
  3. A person who observes something
secret-agent
A member of an intelligence agency whose identity or affiliation is kept confidential.
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  1. A member of an intelligence agency whose identity or affiliation is kept confidential.
  2. A person who carries on espionage or similar work of a secret nature, as for a government
counterspy
A spy used in counterespionage
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  1. A spy used in counterespionage
  2. A spy working in opposition to enemy espionage.
operative
An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.
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  1. An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.
  2. One who works for a political organization, often wielding influence out of public view.
  3. A detective or spy
double-agent
Attributive form of double agent
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  1. Attributive form of double agent
  2. A spy employed by two rival espionage organizations
  3. A person pretending to work as a spy for one government while actually working as a spy for another government.
emissary
An agent sent on a mission to represent or advance the interests of another.
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  1. An agent sent on a mission to represent or advance the interests of another.
  2. A person or agent sent on a specific mission
scout
One that is dispatched from a main body to gather information, especially in preparation for military action.
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  1. One that is dispatched from a main body to gather information, especially in preparation for military action.
  2. A member of the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts
  3. A watcher or sentinel.
detective
A person, usually a member of a police force, who investigates crimes and obtains evidence or information.
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  1. A person, usually a member of a police force, who investigates crimes and obtains evidence or information.
  2. A person on a police force, whose work is investigating and trying to solve crimes
watcher
A person authorized to keep watch at a polling place to detect irregularities
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  1. A person authorized to keep watch at a polling place to detect irregularities
  2. An observer
  3. One that watches or observes:
wiretapper
A person who installs, or monitors wiretaps
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  1. A person who installs, or monitors wiretaps
intelligencer
A secret agent, an informer, or a spy.
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  1. A secret agent, an informer, or a spy.
  2. (Archaic) A person who supplies news or information; esp., a spy or secret agent
  3. One who conveys news or information.
peeping-tom
(Eng. Legend, person, proper) A Coventry tailor who was struck blind after peeping at Lady Godiva
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  1. (Eng. Legend, person, proper) A Coventry tailor who was struck blind after peeping at Lady Godiva
  2. A person who gets pleasure, especially sexual pleasure, from secretly watching others; a voyeur.
mole
The amount of an element, compound, or other substance that has the same number of basic particles as 12 grams of Carbon-12. The number of particles making up a mole is Avogadro's number. For elements and compounds, the mass of one mole, in grams, is roughly equal to the atomic or molecular weight of the substance. For example, carbon dioxide, CO2 , has a molecular weight of 44; therefore, one mole of it weighs 44 grams.
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  1. The amount of an element, compound, or other substance that has the same number of basic particles as 12 grams of Carbon-12. The number of particles making up a mole is Avogadro's number. For elements and compounds, the mass of one mole, in grams, is roughly equal to the atomic or molecular weight of the substance. For example, carbon dioxide, CO2 , has a molecular weight of 44; therefore, one mole of it weighs 44 grams.
  2. A spy who infiltrates and is assimilated into the ranks of an enemy intelligence agency, government staff, etc., usually long before engaging in any spying activities
  3. Any of various small insectivorous mammals of the family Talpidae of North America and Eurasia, usually living underground and having a thickset body with light brown to dark gray silky fur, strong forefeet for burrowing, and often rudimentary eyes.
spook
(Informal) A ghost; a specter.
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  1. (Informal) A ghost; a specter.
  2. (Slang) A spy or secret agent
  3. (Offensive Slang) Used as a disparaging term for a black person.
mata-hari
Dutch spy. A professional dancer in Paris after 1905, she apparently spied for Germany during World War I and was arrested and executed by the French.
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  1. Dutch spy. A professional dancer in Paris after 1905, she apparently spied for Germany during World War I and was arrested and executed by the French.
view
To watch (a program, for example) on television.
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  1. To watch (a program, for example) on television.
  2. To think of (something) in a particular way; regard:
  3. To survey or study mentally; consider:
behold
Used in the imperative for the purpose of calling attention.
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  1. Used in the imperative for the purpose of calling attention.
  2. To hold in view; look at; see; regard
descry
To discover by careful observation or scrutiny; detect:
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  1. To discover by careful observation or scrutiny; detect:
  2. To discover (a distant or obscure object) by the eye; to espy; to discern or detect.
  3. To catch sight of; discern (distant or obscure objects)
scout
To look for; watch
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  1. To look for; watch
  2. To find or get by looking around
  3. To go out in search of information about the enemy; reconnoiter
observe
To be or become aware of, especially through careful and directed attention; notice:
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  1. To be or become aware of, especially through careful and directed attention; notice:
  2. To watch or be present without participating actively:
  3. To watch attentively:
watch
To guard, keep surveillance on, or spy on:
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  1. To guard, keep surveillance on, or spy on:
  2. To observe the course of mentally; keep up on or informed about:
  3. To look at steadily; observe carefully or continuously:
examine
To question formally, as to elicit facts or information; interrogate:
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  1. To question formally, as to elicit facts or information; interrogate:
  2. To determine the qualifications, aptitude, or skills of by means of questions or exercises:
  3. To test by carefully questioning in order to find out the knowledge, skill, qualifications, etc. of (a student, witness, job applicant, etc.)
scrutinize
To audit accounts etc in order to verify them.
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  1. To audit accounts etc in order to verify them.
  2. To examine something with great care.
  3. To look at very carefully; examine closely; inspect minutely
take-note
To pay attention; to take notice; to note
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  1. To pay attention; to take notice; to note
search
To examine closely and carefully; test and try; probe
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  1. To examine closely and carefully; test and try; probe
  2. To examine data in a computer in order to locate items having a given property
  3. To search a place or space in order to find something:
discover
To learn something about:
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  1. To learn something about:
  2. To notice or learn, especially by making an effort:
  3. To be the first nonnative person to find, come to, or see (a continent, river, etc.)
hunt
To use (dogs or horses) in chasing game
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  1. To use (dogs or horses) in chasing game
  2. To search eagerly or carefully for; try to find
  3. To search; seek
turn over
(Sports) To give up control (of the ball and thus the ability to score).
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  1. (Sports) To give up control (of the ball and thus the ability to score).
  2. Used other than as an idiom: see turn,"Ž over.
  3. To flip over; to rotate uppermost to bottom.
peer
To be partially visible; show:
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  1. To be partially visible; show:
  2. To come out or show slightly; come partly into sight
  3. To look closely and searchingly, or squint, as in trying to see more clearly
pry
To obtain with effort or difficulty:
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  1. To obtain with effort or difficulty:
  2. To raise, move, or force open with a lever.
  3. To look or inquire closely, curiously, or impertinently:
hound
To pressure or force from a place or situation:
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  1. To pressure or force from a place or situation:
  2. To hunt or chase with or as with hounds; chase or follow continually; nag
  3. To make repeated demands of or subject to persistent criticism:
trail
To follow the course taken by; pursue:
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  1. To follow the course taken by; pursue:
  2. To drag or let drag behind one, esp. on the ground, etc.
  3. To follow the traces or scent of, as in hunting; track.
follow
To keep oneself informed of the course, progress, or fortunes of:
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  1. To keep oneself informed of the course, progress, or fortunes of:
  2. To grasp the meaning or logic of; understand:
  3. To watch or listen to closely; observe
gumshoe
To move about stealthily; sneak.
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  1. To move about stealthily; sneak.
  2. To work as a detective.
  3. To sneak or go about quietly, as a detective; act with stealth
heel
(Informal) To provide (a person) with money
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  1. (Informal) To provide (a person) with money
  2. (Intransitive) To incline to one side, to tilt (especially of ships).
  3. To follow at one's heels:
sleuth
(Informal) To act as a detective
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  1. (Informal) To act as a detective
  2. To track or follow.
spot
To determine the location of (a target, the enemy, etc.)
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  1. To determine the location of (a target, the enemy, etc.)
  2. To pick out; detect; see; recognize
  3. To become marked with spots:
fish-out
To deplete the supply of fish in a given body of water.
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  1. To deplete the supply of fish in a given body of water.
  2. (Idiomatic) To search for by rummaging, and then extract (an item from e.g. a container).
agent
One empowered to act for or represent another:
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  1. One empowered to act for or represent another:
  2. A representative or official of a government or administrative department of a government:
  3. A force or substance that causes a change:
operative
One who works for a political organization, often wielding influence out of public view.
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  1. One who works for a political organization, often wielding influence out of public view.
  2. An employee or other worker with some particular function or skill.
  3. A secret agent; a spy.
spook
(Informal) A ghost; a specter.
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  1. (Informal) A ghost; a specter.
  2. (Slang) A spy or secret agent
eavesdrop
To listen secretly to the private conversation of others.
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  1. To listen secretly to the private conversation of others.
  2. To gain access to private electronic communications, as through wiretapping or the interception of e-mail or cell phone calls.
  3. ​To hear a conversation one is not intended to hear; to listen in.
catch
To go to see (a performance, for example):
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  1. To go to see (a performance, for example):
  2. To become cognizant or aware of suddenly:
  3. To get (something required), usually quickly or for a brief period:
descry
To catch sight of (something difficult to discern).
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  1. To catch sight of (something difficult to discern).
  2. To catch sight of; discern (distant or obscure objects)
  3. To discover by careful observation or scrutiny; detect:
detect
To discover or ascertain the existence, presence, or fact of.
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  1. To discover or ascertain the existence, presence, or fact of.
  2. To learn something hidden and often improper about:
  3. To catch or discover, as in a misdeed
discern
To perceive or recognize the difference
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  1. To perceive or recognize the difference
  2. To perceive with the eyes; detect or distinguish:
  3. To separate (a thing) mentally from another or others; recognize as separate or different
espy
To catch sight of (something that is distant, partially hidden, or obscure); glimpse.
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  1. To catch sight of (something that is distant, partially hidden, or obscure); glimpse.
  2. (Intransitive) To look or search narrowly; to look about; to watch; to take notice; to spy.
  3. To catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes; to discover, as a distant object partly concealed, or not obvious to notice; to see at a glance; to discern unexpectedly; to spy; as, to espy land; to espy a man in a crowd.
glimpse
To appear by glimpses.
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  1. To appear by glimpses.
  2. To look quickly; glance (at)
  3. To see or view briefly or incompletely.
spot
To determine the location of (a target, the enemy, etc.)
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  1. To determine the location of (a target, the enemy, etc.)
  2. To pick out; detect; see; recognize
  3. To become marked with spots:
Find another word for spy. In this page you can discover 63 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for spy, like: observer, secret-agent, intelligence agent, counterintelligence agent, counterspy, operative, espionage agent, double-agent, emissary, scout and detective.

Sentence Examples

  • Tell me you won't spy on our past!

  • This is the first lesson every good spy knows.

  • You could spy on anyone; anywhere!

  • Come see me, he texted his spy chief.

  • Let's cut out this spy stuff and talk about the real world.

More sentences →

Words near spy in the Thesaurus